This palace of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham is 8th century. was richly decorated with mosaics related to the masterpieces of Arab art. Now the entire complex is under the threat of destruction both from the effects of natural disasters and - which is much more dangerous - from human activities. We are talking about the rapidly expanding area of Jericho and active agricultural work in the immediate vicinity of the monument.
Therefore, UNESCO and the Palestinian Authority asked Zumthor to develop a project for the museification of the mosaics, which would both protect them and make them accessible to tourists.
The Mosaic Houses project is a rectangular volume of 18 m in height: the floors - a lattice made of Lebanese cedar timber - are supported by concrete pillars. Outside, the entire structure will be covered with a light-colored cloth, which will provide natural lighting for the mosaics. Visitors will be able to view Khirbet al-Mafjar in the traditional way for such monuments - from special "bridges".
If the shelter is built and thus the safety of the monument is ensured, Hisham's palace could be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The project budget is $ 9.6 - $ 14.4 million. Construction is due to start in 2013.
N. F.
